Brazos Valley Professional Photographers Association

Farrah Braniff Photographs

May’s meeting has been rescheduled for the 19th. That’s the same time, same place, only now on the 3rd Tuesday of May. Our speaker, Farrah Braniff, has been asked by Ron Nichols (PPA President) to attend a National Print Competition Judge’s Workshop, and could not refuse!

We hope this change of plans will not inconvenience you, and I personally apologize for the late notice.

We are thrilled that we could reschedule the program so soon, and look forward to Farrah’s information on marketing. More details on her program will arrive soon! See you on the 19th!

Sincerely,
Daniela Weaver
Brazos Valley Professional Photographers Association

April 14th

at 6:30pm (gathering) and 7pm (presentation)

Major Arnaud

Getting Your Name Out There

This is a business presentation on doing business in the 21st century.  With the problems we have in today’s economy it is not enough to just have a listing in the yellow pages, attend a few bridal shows and do a bulk rate mail out.  You must put your name out everywhere that you can.  Having a website is just the start of promoting your business.  In this program Major will go over the importance of social and business networking, creating a blog, writing articles, how to send out a legal mass email newsletter, attending events, becoming the expert resource for your clients and so much more.

Major’s Bio

Maydrick (Major) Arnaud (pronounced Arno) first discovered the internet in 1994.  With a background in computer technology and certified as a Professional Photographer he immediately realized the incredible marketing potential that World Wide Web had to offer.  So after building his first personal business website in 1995 Major was soon approached by other small businesses to design custom websites for their own companies.  Shortly there after a new company called Major Websites was formed.  For more then a decade now Major Websites has created hundreds of websites for all types of industries and organizations.  Major holds the degree of Photographic Craftsman and was the 2004 and 2008 President of the Professional Photographers Guild of Houston.

The March 10th program will feature Ross Benton. Remember, we now meet at the College Station Conference Center.

PS WoW Factor 2.0

Join us for a powerful class of Photoshop and Business from basic PS functions to advanced time saving tips and tricks. Understanding the Layers pallet, using mask, understanding blending modes, building custom patterns and textures. Using all this to create spectacular images without sitting at the computer all day. Then we are going to take it up a notch by adding in actions and automation to have PS work for you. Develop RAW profiles and streamline your workflow using RAW and Bridge. We will then dive into some Custom Album design tools and wedding sales techniques. Hang on to your seats this will be a fast paced class with tones of information!

At a recent event Ross Benton took the stage to teach many of his PhotoShop techniques that have earned him a multitude of awards in a very short period of time. “He was extremely patient and took the time to go over the steps more than once within each action to achieve the beautiful textures and romance he adds to his portraits and wedding images. I believe he really helped everyone learn more about the layers pallet and how to understand the blending modes in Photoshop. He also elaborated on his talent as a designer, creating gorgeous wedding album layouts for his clients and others who seek out his expertise. It was a wonderfully interactive program that involved a very packed audience. Great job Ross!” San Antonio Photographer

Highlights

• Retouching skin QUICK

• Dodge and burn techniques – great for skin and scenic

• Working with RAW images to streamline your workflow

• New Recipes for BW and Sepia

• Actions Actions Actions

• New Time saving (sometimes Life saving) Filters

• Some of Ross’ time saving albums tricks

• And More……

This class will cover Photoshop and Bridge.

the June 9th program will feature Cris Duncan.

the May 12th speaker will be Farrah Braniff.

“Achieve Your Image” with Vernon Wentz

February 3, 2009—Learn how Vernon Wentz attracts clients with outstanding images and marketing that’s full of impact, and how he keeps them happy. Mr. Wentz was President of the Professional Photographers of San Antonio in 2008, and won the title of San Antonio Photographer of the Year in 2008 and 2009. Recently, at the SWPPA Fall Convention, his Competition Prints received 4 for 4. Wentz and his team have received numerous awards in magazine ads and DVD marketing, for themselves and their clients.

It’s easy to see that even though Mr. Wentz has over 20 years of experience in this business, he keeps his images and his business fresh, and this is just one reason why he attracts such lucritive clients.

Meet with us February 3rd at the College Station Conference Center (1300 George Bush Drive). Arrive at 6:30pm for some social time, with the meeting beginning at 7:00pm.

Brazos Valley Professional Photographers present Vernon Wentz

Half-day Seminar

Monday, January 5th
Coby James of Gulf Coast Imaging Studios, along with
Wayne Sandlin of Photography by Design, and
Tina Looney of Tina Looney Photography

The Business of Photography taught by Coby James

Whether you are new to business or have been operating a photography business for a while, The Business of Photography class will provide you with vital information to run a successful retail or home studio.

Coby James is the owner of Gulf Coast Imaging Studios in Texas City, Texas. With over 25 years in business, Coby shares his wealth of information to help you operate a legal and successful business. Coby holds a photography degree, as well as a finance degree. Along with his formal education, Coby has participated in various tax audits and provides business advice to photographers on a regular basis.

The class will cover the following topics:

• Business Structure
• Texas Sales Tax requirements
• Business Personal Property Tax requirements
• HOA/POA restrictions
• Federal/State/Local Requirements
• City/County Permit Requirements
• Bookkeeping/Accounting
• Banking and Credit Cards
• Customer Contracts and Forms
• Insurance
• …and more!

Details and How to Register…

This half-day seminar is scheduled for

Monday, January 5th
1:00pm to 5:00pm
Studio One Photographics
2041 Harvey Mitchell Parkway S.
College Station, Texas 77840

Our monthly meeting will serve as a Question and Answer Session and starts as usual at 6:30pm.

There is a cost to cover materials for the seminar: $25 for members, $50 for non-members. Included is a 70-page handbook full of information and worksheets for your business.

Registration

To register, send payment to

Cindy Kovar, Treasurer,
P.O. Box 9809
College Station, TX 77842

Members, please include your 2009 membership fees!

Do you know someone who would benefit from this essential seminar? Spread the word!

And, don’t hesitate to contact a board member with any questions.

Happy Holidays from Brazos Valley Professional Photographers Association

Join us for fun and fellowship at our annual holiday gathering.

On the Border Restaurant
709 Texas Ave S
College Station, TX 77840
(979) 695-2492
December 2nd
6:30pm

Bring your family if you wish! (Please RSVP to Daniela Weaver by November 25th so we can let them know how many to seat.)

There will be no speaker, no ornament exchange, no gifts; just sharing a meal with friends, in a relaxed atmosphere.

Again, RSVP to Daniela Weaver by November 25th! We hope to visit with you…

October 14th

“Timeless Portraits of Childhood”
by
Gabriel I. Alonso
M. Photog. Cr. F-TPPA
Join Fort Worth’s Portraitist Gabriel I. Alonso for a time of learning and fellowship as he shares his experience in creating classic, timeless portraits of children.

Covered will be lighting and posing principles as well as children psychology, which plays a major role in the creation of outstanding images.

We’ll discuss the process from the initial phone call, to the final delivery of the finished products. Marketing techniques will be discussed as well.
For more information, please visit http://www.gabrielportraiture.com

Offering a vast breadth of experience and photographic skill, Gabriel Alonso is one of today’s premier portrait artists. His talent and expertise combined with his immense insight, exceptional artistic composition and heightened sensitivity to the client’s desires allow him to capture the essence and timeless expression of beautiful moments in images his clients will cherish for generations.

Gabriel’s Credentials & Experience

• Holds the Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman degrees presented by the Professional Photographers of America
• Serves as a Qualified International Print Juror with the Professional Photographers of America
• Lectures at National, Regional, State and Local conventions as well as for the Mexican Professional Photographers Association
• Manager and Portrait Artist at both Gittings Texas and Gittings West Studios
• Regional manager and Portrait Artist for McWhirter Portrait Studios at Neiman Marcus in Houston
• Portrait Artist for Wyndham-Leigh Portraiture in Washington, D.C., Fort Worth and Dallas, TX

His exceptional work has been selected for the Masters Loan Collection of the Professional Photographers of America and has been exhibited at the Eastman Kodak display of Disney’s Epcot Center. But more importantly, his images grace the walls of satisfied clients throughout the world.

UPDATE … We have a hurricane coming our way! We will keep you informed as to whether we will hold the Fish Fry and Outdoor Lighting Program on Tuesday, or whether we will have to reschedule. Was it not just last month that our speaker could not come visit us, because he was located in the midst of a hurricane?

If we are in luck, we will actually start the program at 6:00pm and eat at approximately 8:00pm, which is a change from our previous plans. Also, if you would like, bring your cameras and flash equipment; anything you would normally use to photograph an outdoor session. We will have a model with which to practice any new techniques we may learn. And finally… you may think about bringing insect repellent!

Again, we will keep you posted in case the weather does not cooperate and we have to reschedule.